Half to george humphreys



(No Model.)

W. H. VANGE, FOLDING GRATBPRONT AND HBARTH.

vNo. 494,046. `1244411444 Mar. 21, 189s.

wsmonms Eriks co. Primo-um UNITED STATES PATENT n OFFICE.

WILLIAM II. VANCE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO GEORGE HUMPHREYS, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING GRATE-FRONT AND HEARTH'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,046, dated March 21, 1893.

Application filed May 6, 1892. Serial No. 432.039. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. VANCE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Folding Grate-Fronts and I-Iearths; and I hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates toa device which I call a folding grate front and hearth.

It consists of plates hinged together `and pivoted or fulcrumed at the lower end and adapted to fold up so as to lie iiat in front of the grate and form a hearth, or to be unfolded and turned up so as to fill the entire grate front. In conjunction with this is a damper and details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a View showing the grate front closed and the damper open. Fig. 2 shows the device folded and lying in front of the grate, in the forln of a hearth.

A is the inclosing frame of a grate which may be of any suitable or ordinary construction, the basket or other parts not being here shown as not being necessary.

B B is a plate formed in two parts hinged together as shown at C, with a rule or other joint which will make a neat nish.

D D are pivot pins upon sides near the lower edge of the plate B, adapted to turn in snitable slots or openings in the sides of the frame A close to the bottom.

Upon the upper inneredges of the frame A are formed the lugs or catches E, and the upper corresponding angles of the plate B have lugs F formed upon them and adapted to engage the catches E.

The operation will then be as followsz- When the plates B B are turned up and unfolded they are in line with each other, and the lugs F engaging the catchesE support the plate so as to ill up the front opening of the grate, thus forming either a blower or a summer front. The outer faces of the plates B B may be ornamented in any suitable or desired manner so that when the frontis closed it will present an attractive appearance. In the lower part of the lower plate B an open- 5o ing is made within which is pivoted a plate Y G which may be turned upon its pivots so as to ladmit air and serve as a damper when the grate front is closed, or it may be entirely closed up so as to prevent any admission of air and seal the opening. When it is desired to open the grate, the catches F are disengaged and the'plates turning about the lower pivot pins D, the lower one lies ilat in front of the grate, while the upper one folds back upon 6o it. The lower plate is suficiently wider than the upper one so that when they are folded together, the edge of the upper plate is a short distance away from the hinged edge of the lower plate. This prevents ashes or coals which may fall from the basket, falling out upon the upperplate, and as they are retained upon thelower plate in case ot' such accident, they will be turned back whenever the plates are turned into a Vertical position.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The combination with a grate front having lugs E upon their upper inner edges of the 75 hinged folding plates one of said plates hav ing lugs F, at the upper edge by which said plates are retained in a vertical position to close the grate front opening, hinges at the bottom of the lower plate about which the 8o two may turn when the catches at the top are disengaged whereby the plates fold upon each other and extend outwardly from the bottom of the grate front, forming a hearth thereto, substantially as herein described. 8 5

- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM I-I. VANCE.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, J. A. BAYLEss. 

